‘Embarrassing’ ALEC submission fails to reflect science, community concern over live export cruelty

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The RSPCA says the Australian Livestock Exporters’ Council’s (ALEC) submission to the McCarthy review shows a worrying but predictable lack of understanding of the gravity of the current situation, and is further proof the industry cannot, and will not, reform.

The RSPCA’s comments come after ALEC released the details of their recommendations on how the systemic cruelty of the live export industry could be addressed.

This includes a vague agreement to an ‘independent observer’ on ships, as well as the temporary 17.5% stocking reduction that’s currently being required by the Federal Government, and which has no basis in science or evidence.

Dr McCarthy is not conducting original research: the evidence is already available and the facts are already clear.

The RSPCA describes the submission as embarrassing and unbelievably out of touch, and says it’s increasingly clear live export companies are not taking the community’s expectations, nor the industry’s need for a social licence, seriously.

The failure of the live export industry to accept its catastrophic failings and respond to overwhelming community outrage leaves the government with no acceptable choice but to enforce major changes with a view to scaling down and phasing out live sheep exports.

The RSPCA has reiterated its science-based position, which is to halve stocking densities and stop May to October exports immediately, as part of a plan to phase out live sheep exports in favour of an expanded trade in chilled and frozen meat.